Naomi Osaka grows into leadership, on and off the court

23-year-old tennis star has world's ear like no Japanese athlete before

Japan's Naomi Osaka poses with the Australian Open trophy at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria on Feb. 21. © Reuters

MASAKO HARA, Nikkei deputy editor

February 25, 2021 05:33 JST

TOKYO -- Winning the Australian Open on Saturday for her fourth Grand Slam title, Naomi Osaka has solidified her standing as one of the top tennis players in recent history. But her rise has not been limited to the court, as she emerges as a prominent voice on social issues including racism and gender equality.